UL Women Score Big Double OT Win Over Texas St., 83-81

UL junior guard Keke Veal

Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajun women’s basketball team picked up a key Sun Belt Conference road win on Saturday afternoon, defeating the Texas St. Bobcats, 83-81, in double-overtime in San Marcos, Texas.

The victory was the fifth in the last seven games for Louisiana, who concluded a three-game road stretch with two wins in three tries.

The Bobcats led most of the first half, scoring the first five points of the game, before eventually extending that lead to a game-high 8 points, 19-11, at the 10:15 mark of the first half.

The Cajuns went on an 8-2 run over the next 5:39 however, to grab their first lead of the game, 20-19, with 4:36 remaining in the initial half.

Louisiana extended that lead to four points, 26-22, with :37 seconds remaining, before going on to take a two-point, 26-24 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Texas St. out-shot UL from the field in the first half, 36%-30%, but the Cajuns out-rebounded the Bobcats, 27-17, as they held that two-point advantage after the first 20:00.

Robbie Brown had 7 points and 4 rebounds at the break for the Cajuns, while Meghan Braeuer had 6 points and 3 rebounds for the Bobcats.

The Cajuns started the second half strong, jumping out to their biggest lead of the game, 8 points, 37-29, at the 15:05 mark of the second half, prior to the Bobcats going on a 12-5 run over the next 4:21, which trimmed the UL advantage to 42-41 with 10:44 to go.

Texas St. took their first lead of the second half, 47-45, at the 8:17 mark, and then extended that lead to five points, 54-49, at the 5:04 mark.

Louisiana went on a late run however, as Kia Wilridge converted on a lay-up at the 3:28 mark, prior to Brown putting home two lay-ups of her own, as they retook the lead, 55-54, with 2:19 to go.Wilridge then ended an 8-0 UL run with another lay-up, giving them a 57-54 advantage with 1:53 remaining.

Texas St. wouldn't go away however, as Ayriel Anderson hit two free throws with :24 left, trimming the deficit to 57-56, before Wilridge hit 1 of 2 free throw attempts, giving the Cajuns a 58-56 lead with :23 to go.

The Bobcats tied things with only :03 remaining however, when Erin Peoples converted on a lay-up, evening the game, 58-58, and sending the game into overtime.

Texas St. started the extra 5:00 strong, scoring the first five points, to gain a 63-58 lead at the 3:45 mark of the overtime period.

Down, 65-60, with 3:11 to go, Louisiana came roaring back, scoring 5-unanswered points, and after a Jaylin Gordon three-pointer, tied the game, 65-65, with 1:26 to go.

After People gave Texas St. a 67-65 lead with a lay-up at the :48 mark, the Cajuns answered right back, when Brown nailed a three-point shot, giving them a 68-67 edge with only :24 to go.

Brown went to the free throw line with :14 remaining and was successful on 1 of 2 attempts, which gave UL a 69-67 lead, before Anderson canned a clutch jumper with :07 to go, to tie the game, 69-69, and send the game into a second overtime.

Louisiana was up, 76-75, with 1:10 to go in the second overtime when Brown made good on a key three-point shot, giving them a 79-75 lead.

Wilridge later hit two free throws with :31 remaining, extending the UL lead to 81-75, ending a 5-0 run.

That run proved to be the game-clincher, as the Cajuns went on to the 83-81 double-overtime victory.

Texas St. out-shot Louisiana from the field, 43%-40%,but Louisiana finished with a 55-41 rebounding advantage, while also forcing 18 turnovers.

Gordon led the way for the Cajuns, finishing with 22 points and 6 rebounds, while Wilridge added 18 points and 7 rebounds.

In a losing cause for the Bobcats, Peoples had 23 points and 7 rebounds, while Anderson chipped in with 15 points and 4 rebounds.

View the game box score.

With the victory, Louisiana improved to 14-6, overall, and 6-5 in Sun Belt Conference play, while Texas St. slipped to 12-8, and 7-4, respectively.

The Cajuns return to action, and open a two-game homestand on Thursday, when they host Appalachian St.

Filed Under: Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns, texas st. bobcats, ul women's basketball

Categories: Sports Buzz